Les Cain, baseball player, 1968-1972

Les Cain

Born: 1/13/1948 in San Luis Obispo, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1968-04-28 | Final Game: 1972-05-28

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 200 lbs

Full name: Leslie Cain

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Biography

Les Cain, born in 1948, was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1968 until 1972. Throughout his career, Cain displayed a solid performance on the mound, finishing with a win-loss record of 23-19 and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.98. Known for his ability to strike out batters, he amassed a total of 303 strikeouts over his playing years. Despite his skills, he did not record any saves during his time in the league. Cain's career unfolded during a transformative period in baseball, as the sport was evolving from the pitching-dominant styles of the 1960s to a more offensively focused game in the early 1970s. His contributions on the field were significant for the teams he played for, as he maneuvered through the challenges of the era, showcasing his pitching prowess. After his retirement on May 28, 1972, Cain left behind a legacy as a steadfast competitor who played a key role in the games he participated in.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
23 19 68 64 8 1 0 373.0 331 165 32 225 303 3.98 0

Career ERA 3.98 vs. league average 3.42 across their career seasons — 16.4% worse than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
1968 DET AL 1 0 8 4 0 0 0 24.0 25 8 20 13 3.00 2.98 (-1%) -820.9
1970 DET AL 12 7 29 29 5 0 0 180.7 167 77 98 156 3.84 3.89 (+1%) 709.8
1971 DET AL 10 9 26 26 3 1 0 144.7 121 70 91 118 4.35 3.47 (-26%) -2311.6
1972 DET AL 0 3 5 5 0 0 0 23.7 18 10 16 16 3.80 3.26 (-16%) -540.8

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
69 137 9 21 3 0 2 11 0 2 45 0.153 0.165 0.219 0.384 -907.1

Career AVG .153 vs. league average .246 across their career seasons — 37.8% below league average.

Career OBP .165 vs. league average .314 across their career seasons — 47.3% below league average.

Career SLG .219 vs. league average .362 across their career seasons — 39.6% below league average.

Career OPS 0.384 vs. league average 0.676 across their career seasons — 43.1% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1968 DET AL 8 7 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.143 — — — — 0.0
1970 DET AL 29 68 2 11 1 0 1 9 0 1 18 0.162 .253 (-36%) .325 (-47%) .385 (-43%) .711 (-45%) -509.3
1971 DET AL 27 55 7 8 1 0 1 2 0 1 23 0.145 .249 (-42%) .316 (-49%) .365 (-40%) .682 (-44%) -397.9
1972 DET AL 5 7 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.143 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 68 64 13 52 5 2

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1968 DET P 8 4 0 6 0 0
1970 DET P 29 29 8 24 2 0
1971 DET P 26 26 5 19 1 2
1972 DET P 5 5 0 3 2 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 68